Moyamba District | |
|---|---|
 Location of Moyamba District in Sierra Leone | |
| Coordinates: 8°00′N12°30′W / 8.000°N 12.500°W | |
| Country | Sierra Leone |
| Province | Province |
| Capital | Moyamba |
| Largest city | Moyamba |
| Government | |
| • Type | District Council |
| • District Council Chairman | Joseph Benedict Mbogba (SLPP) |
| • Deputy District Council Chairman | Alfred Brima Banya(SLPP) |
| Area | |
• Total | 6,902 km2 (2,665 sq mi) |
| Population (2015 census) | |
• Total | 318,064 |
| • Density | 46/km2 (120/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Greenwich Mean Time) |
| HDI (2017) | 0.364 [1] low · 12th |
Moyamba District is a district in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone, with a population of 318,064 in the 2015 census. [2] [3] Its capital and largest city is Moyamba. [2] [3] The other major towns include Njala, Rotifunk and Shenge. [2] [3] The district is the largest in the Southern Province by geographical area, occupying a total area of 6,902 km2 (2,665 sq mi) and comprises fourteen chiefdoms. [2] [3]
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Moyamba District borders the Atlantic Ocean in the west, Port Loko District and Tonkolili District to the north, Bo District to the east and Bonthe District to the south. [2] [3] The main economic activities include mining (rutile and bauxite), fishing, rice growing and oil palm plantations. [2] [3]
Moyamba District is one of the most ethnically diverse Districts in Sierra Leone. The Mende people are the largest ethnic group in Moyamba District; However, there is a large population of ethnic minority groups in the district that make up closer to 50% of the District population, including the Temne people, Fulani, Sherbro, Kissi, Mandingo, and Kuranko. Moyamba is home to a significantly large population of ethnic Temne minority, and is home to the largest ethnic Temne population in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone. [2] [3]
Moyamba District is the birthplace of many of the country's highest profile politicians who helped guide the country to independence in 1961 from the United Kingdom, including Milton Margai, Albert Margai, John Karefa-Smart and Siaka Stevens. Politically, Moyamba District is a stronghold of the Sierra Leone People's Party(SLPP), as the vast majority of residents in the District support the SLPP. The SLPP has won every presidential election in Moyamba District including the 1996, 2002, 2007, 2012 and 2018 Sierra Leone presidential elections.
